Electric connector

ABSTRACT

An electric connector manually operated electric apparatus, comprising an elongated body of insulating material, presenting at one end a cylindrically shaped terminal portion and at the opposite end a cavity capable of being fitted on a supporting member interlocked with the electric apparatus. Several electroconductor wires are provided in the said body parallely to the longitudinal direction and emerge at the extremity thereof where the cavity is formed, the other wire extremities emerging from the insulating body at distinct points separated from one another along the longitudinal direction of the body and are coiled around the said cylindrical terminal portion of the body. Several metal contact shoes are mounted on the said cylindrical terminal portion transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body in such a way as to rotate freely around the said cylindrical portion, each shoe being in electrical contact with the terminal turn of an electro-conductor wire, and each shoe being connected furthermore to an outer conductor.

United States Patent 1191 Kenny Nov. 18, 1975 ELECTRIC CONNECTOR [76] Inventor: James E. Kenny, 28 Wolvengracht,

Brussels, Belgium ['22 Filed: Oct. 4, 1974 r 21 Appl. No.: 512,297

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-Roy Lake Assistant Examiner-DeWalden W. Jones Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kirchstein, Kirschstein, Ottinger & Frank [57] ABSTRACT An electric connector manually operated electric apparatus, comprising an elongated body of insulating material, presenting at one end a cylindrically shaped terminal portion and at the opposite end a cavity capable of being fitted on a supporting member interlocked with the electric apparatus. Several electroconductor wires are provided in the said body parallely to the longitudinal direction and emerge at the extremity thereof where the cavity is formed, the other wire extremities emerging from the insulating body at distinct points separated from one another along the longitudinal direction of the body and are coiled around the said cylindrical terminal portion of the body. Several metal contact shoes are mounted on the said cylindrical terminal portion transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body in such a way as to rotate freely around the said cylindrical portion, each shoe being in electrical contact with the terminal turn of an electro-conductor wire, and each shoe being connected furthermore to an outer conductor.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 18, 1975 ELECTRIC CONNECTOR The present invention relates to an electric connector specially designed for manually operated electrical devices.

Electrical devices for which this new connector is particularly suitable are notably electric hairdressing irons, electric combs, welding irons and electric boring machines. When employing these devices, in effect, the connection of the power cord to the apparatus is usually effected in a more or less rigid manner, the cord generally being connected to the apparatus in the latters axis. The drawback of this usual layout is that the cord considerably impedes the operative procedures during employment of the apparatus, especially when the apparatus undergoes rotating or swivelling motions around its longitudinal axis. That is the case, for instance, with the hairdressing iron to which the rotation motions are usually given by hand in order to wave the hair. During such operations, the cord easily winds itself round the operators wrist and this considerably obstructs the employment of the apparatus. Moreover, rigid connections in the axis of the apparatus cause abnormal cord fatigues in the vicinity of its connection to the apparatus, and this finishes by deteriorating fairly quickly the insulation sheathing leading to a fracture of the copper wires.

Generally too, the connection of the cord to the apparatus is effected by means of a tight joint cast in one piece.

The aim of the invention is to remedy the above mentioned drawbacks and it has for object an electric connector which is inexpensive and of simple assembly, which permits the handling with ease of an electrical apparatus without the power cord being able to impede the procedures of the operator or undergo mechanical stress, thus avoiding risks of an electrical nature.

According to the invention, the connector comprises an elongated body of insulating material, presenting at one end a cylindrically shaped terminal portion and at the opposite end a cavity capable of being fitted on a supporting member interlocked with the electric apparatus. Several electro-conductor wires are provided in the said body parallely to the longitudinal direction and emerge at the extremity thereof where the cavity is formed, the other wire extremities emerging from the insulating body at distinct points separated from one another along the longitudinal direction of the body and are coiled-around the said cylindrical terminal portion of the body. Several metal contact shoes are mounted on the said cylindrical terminal portion transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body in such a way as to rotate freely around the said cylindrical portion, each shoe being in electrical contact with the terminal turn of an electro-conductor wire, and each shoe being connected furthermore to an outer conductor.

The cylindrical terminal portion and the contact shoes are enclosed in a casing made of insulating material generally arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body, the inner walls of this casing being formed with grooves each of which is intended to house a contact shoe so as to keep it in electrical contact with the terminal turn of the corresponding wire.

The invention will be described in detail, reference being made to the attached drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section view of the inside of the connector;

FIG. 2'is' a vertical view of the assembled connector;

FIG. 3 isa vertical view similar to thatof FIG. 2, but with the casing partially broken away;

FIG. 4 shows the interior of one shell of the insulating casing. I

Referring to the attached drawings, there is shown the connector comprising an elongated body 1 formed of an insulating material, a plastic material for instance. Body 1 presents at one front end a cavity 10 intended for fitting on a supporting member (not shown) interlocked with an electrical apparatus. At its rear end the body presents a terminal portion 11 of genaral cylindrical shape. Two electro-conductor wires not insulated 2 and 3 are provided in the body parallel to the longitudinal direction and emerging from it over a certain length, no matter which moreover, at the front extremity. The rear terminal portion 11 of the body is enclosed in a casing 4 made up of two shells of insulating material linked together by a setting eye 5.

Inside casing 4 the wires 2 and 3 emerge from body 1 at two points 6 and 7, located at two different levels following the longitudinal direction of body 1. The end of each wire is coiled around the rear terminal portion 11 of the body, forming a few turns, 20 and 30 respectively. Two metal contact shoes 8 and 9 are inserted on the rear portion of body 1 transversely to the longitudinal direction in such a way that they are able to rotate slowly around the latter. An eye 12 prevents shoe 9 provided at the end of body 1 from sliding from the latter.

Shoes 8 and 9 are kept in electrical contact against outer turns 20 and 30 of the two wires respectively, by two grooves 41 and 42 formed in the inner walls of the shells constituting the casing and guided, when the two shells are assembled on the body 1, transversely to the longitudinal direction of body 1. To each shoe is connected an electric wire of the outer power cord.

The outer free ends of wires 2 and 3 are intended to be connected by some means or other to the circuit of the electrical apparatus. Once body 1 has been placed in position on the support member and wires 2 and 3 connected to the circuit, casing 4, together with shoes 8 and 9 which it confines and also drives, are able to rotate freely around body 1 whilst maintaining a perfect electric contact. Furthermore, it is clear that the wires of the outer cord, connected to shoes 8 and 9, undergo no mechanical fatigue in the course of this rotation around body 1, the wire fractures and resulting shortcircuits being thus avoided.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric connector for electric apparatus, comprising an elongated body made of insulating material, presenting at one end a cylindrical terminal portion and at the opposite end a cavity capable to be fitted on a supporting member interlocked with the electric apparatus, several electroconductor wires provided in the said body parallel to the longitudinal direction and emerging at the extremity thereof where the cavity is formed, the other wire extremities emerging from said body at distinct points separated from one another along the longitudinal direction of the body and coiled around the said cylindrical terminal portion of the body, and several metal contact shoes mounted on the said cylindrical terminal portion transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body in such a way as to rotate freely around the said cylindrical portion, each ally positioned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body, the inner walls of said casing being formed with grooves each of which is intended to house a contact shoe so as to keep it in electric contact with the terminal turn of the corresponding wire. 

1. An electric connector for electric apparatus, comprising an elongated body made of insulating material, presenting at one end a cylindrical terminal portion and at the opposite end a cavity capable to be fitted on a supporting member interlocked with the electric apparatus, several electroconductor wires provided in the said body parallel to the longitudinal direction and emerging at the extremity thereof where the cavity is formed, the other wire extremities emerging from said body at distinct points separated from one aNother along the longitudinal direction of the body and coiled around the said cylindrical terminal portion of the body, and several metal contact shoes mounted on the said cylindrical terminal portion transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body in such a way as to rotate freely around the said cylindrical portion, each shoe being in electric contact with the terminal turn of an electroconductor wire, and each shoe being connected to an outer conductor.
 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical terminal portion and the contact shoes are enclosed in a casing made of insulating material generally positioned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the body, the inner walls of said casing being formed with grooves each of which is intended to house a contact shoe so as to keep it in electric contact with the terminal turn of the corresponding wire. 